Rhonda is the half sister to David Larson, class of 1962 and Marla (Larson) Dickson, class of 1966. If Rhonda had graduated in Trona she would have been in the class of 1971. Her obtuary follows:
Aged 69, born to parents Lawrence and Alice (Rice) Larson on July 12, 1953 in Trona, California and deceased (she will never die, in our hearts) on January 10, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. “Willow” is survived by her loving husband of 19 years, Steven “Doc” Straayer; brother, Leo (Helen) Larson, of LaJolla California; children, Matthew (Michelle) Gurule’, Austin (Kellie) Gurule’, Gayle (Tim) Gallagher and Ryan (Sedef) Gurule’; grandchildren, William and Henry (Matt) Gurule’, Rio and Rook (Austin) Gurle’, Gwendolyn and Emilia (Gayle) Gallagher and Atesh (Ryan) Gurule’ all of Northern California, and her BFF Kathy Gavin. She was preceded in death by her parents Lawrence Larson and Alice Hughes.
Rhonda’s love for people led her to obtain a Baccalaureate degree in Social Work from Long Beach State University in California. After completing her degree Rhonda married her first husband and raised four wonderful children while working as a Teacher’s Aide in Northern California. In the next chapter of her life, she moved to Jackson, Michigan and married the Love of her life. She continued working first as a Teacher’s Aide for a few years and then as an Aide on the countryside retirement campus until she retired.
An avid baseball fan, she continued to root for ‘her’ Giants while adopting the Tigers as her favorite American League Team (the 2012 Fall Classic was a conflicted time in our household). She also learned to enjoy wine tasting while traveling to Sonoma County to visit her precious Grandchildren, the true joy of her life. Rhonda was happiest when she was caring for others. Her kind and giving spirit will live on in the hearts of all who love her. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place and we will sprinkle the Ashes of our beloved Wife, Mother and Grandmother in a Sunny Meadow in Sonoma County California. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cascades Humane Society (she loved the little critters, too!).
David only went to Trona High School for a brief time during his junior year. He grew up in Randsburg and after leaving Trona High School finished his high school education at Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest.
David Barrett passed away on December 23, 2022. He was the oldest son of Fred and Rose Barrett. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother Raymond Barrett (1952-2017), class of 1970 and his sister, Nancy (Barrett) Harris class of 1977. He is survived by his sister, Donna Barrett class of 1973 and his stepmother, Lois (McGill) Barrett class of 1955.
Graveside services will be held Saturday January 21 at 11 A.M. at the Searles Valley Cemetery. Followed by a private burial, then a “Celebration of Life” at the Trona Elks Lodge.
In lieu of flowers the family request donations to be made to either the Trona Senior Center or the Trona Community Chest. These donations can be mailed to the Trona Community Chest P.O. Box 413 Trona, CA 93592 or funds can be accepted at Desert Valley Credit Union.
Donna passed away on December 22, 2022. I will post more information when it becomes available. She is the younger sister of Doris Rich class of 1953, and Buddy Rich class of 1955. Her cousin was Roy Wheeler class of 1960. Her brother-in-law was Bill Fuller class of 1951. Bill Fuller’s cousin was Harvey Crandall class of 1957.
Obituary
Donna Jane Phillips the daughter of John and Inez Rich was born January 5, 1946, in Trona, California, and departed this life on December 22, 2022, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 76 years, 11 months and 17 days.
Donna loved her family. She enjoyed the outdoors whether she was working in her garden, taking care of her horses, or just enjoying some time fishing. She loved to cook, especially for her family. Her grandkids made her the most happy. Donna touched many lives over the years and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother John Buddy Rich; her sister Doris Fuller and her grandson Chase Cape.
She is survived by a loving family which includes her children Paul Phillips of Bakersfield, CA, Angie Sweeten and husband Craig of Durant, Chris Cape of Tahlequah, Janez Worster and husband Rich of Arizona and Jody Lynn Dallis of Tahlequah; 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Several nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives also survive her.
Anna Sue Johnson Eldridge left a message on Facebook saying that Al had recently passed away. If I get any additional information, I will post it here.
Westend Circa 1950West End Chemical Company and Early Town- 1925
Is it West End or Westend? If you are talking about the Chemical Company, it is West End. If you are talking about the town, it is Westend. Don’t let the name confuse your sense of direction, Westend is on the south end of Searles Valley.
This work is available from the UC San Diego Library. This digital copy of the work is intended to support research, teaching, and private study.
Henry Hellmers was born in 1891 at Varel, Germany. He came to United States in 1908 and studied Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkley. He became a citizen in 1915. In1924 while working for “Borax” Smith he patented a process that he believed would make a plant at Searles Lake profitable. He used limestone mined in Panamint Valley to created carbon dioxide which when bubbled up through lake brine would cause the borax and sodium bicarbonate to separate from the solution.
Henry is listed in the 1950 Census as a resident of the Westend Village and used Westend as his address when he registered to vote in 1960. He managed the West End plant at least up to that time. The employees knew him as Mr. Westend.
Henry was known for his love of fly fishing and collection of photographic slides of wildflowers that he had taken.
The Key Patents by Henry Hellmers et al.
Henry Hellmers developed profitable processes for refining the lake brines into the marketable products that were produced by the West End Chemical Company.
1924 Patent by Henry Hellmers
1950 Patent by Henry Hellmers
Nevada Street
Mary Dunne, Lynette Blackmun, Nancy Dunne, Eleanor Crosley and Leona Olberg Lee walking on Nevada Street in 1940
Note the picture, and from the left to right beginning from the center of the picture, we have the old West End Village (now a pile of lime). Down the middle of the village and heading to the right is Nevada Ave.
To the right of the village are two one story buildings which were the bunkhouse garages. At right angles to the garages is the two-story No. 2 bunkhouse.
In front of the No. 2 bunkhouse is the No. 1 bunkhouse which has an open area (patio) in the center of the building.
To the right is a 100-foot wooden tank – at the time, the largest wooden tank west of the Mississippi. Beyond that was a series of tanks used for brine storage.
The white pile in the background is quick lime.
The building and the cement slab are the rec hall and tennis courts.
Four buildings in a row were bunk houses and beyond that are the borax storage tanks and right of that was the borax refinery building. Beyond that are the 5-foot carbonate towers, and in front of them were three vertical lime kilns. Beyond this were the 10-foot carbonating towers, and on the right is the machine shop.
The above description is from the book, Trona Trivia by Dr. O. N. Cole. Unfortunately, the picture isn’t large enough to identify all the landmarks he mentioned.
For many of us who didn’t live there, Westend was a place that passed on our way in and out of Searles Valley that we didn’t know very much about.
The photos and information on this page were sent to me by C. Patrick Dunne. They were part of a presentation he made for the 2014 Trona Centennial. Thank you, Pat!
An email from Donald’s daughter, Helen Arrowood, informed me that Donald passed away on November 15, 2022.
Donald was the son of Raemon and Ruth Samuels. He was born 11 February 1938, probably in Trona. It is more than likely that he was enrolled in the Trona schools from kindergarten through high school graduation. His father was an electrical engineer for AP & CC and they lived on Wildrose Street. Donald had an older brother, Neil, class of 1945 and a sister Virginia, class of 1951.
According to the 1955 yearbook Donald was in the band for four years, the varsity club for three years, was a member of the track team for two years and a member of the basketball team for two years.
When an official obituary is available, I will post a link to it.
Please send me any photos you would like to share.
Annual Homecoming Bonfire (By David Bermani)Lighting of the “T” (By David Bermani)
I was told that the “T’ was illuminated with battery powered LEDs this year. (I would like to know more about that. In the early years the “T” was lit up with kerosene soaked torches. Then after someone realized just how dangerous that was the Trona RR would donate railroad flares to lite up the “T”.
If I remember correctly it was always the job of the 7th grade students to make the trek up to the “T” with the flares.
When the natural gas line was run to Trona the gas company made a promise that the couldn’t keep of running a gas line up to the “T” so that the “T” could be gas fired. The best they were able to do was create a large “T” out of pipe that was probably fueled with a propane tank. It was used one time and abandoned.
